Exchanging Identifiers Between Wireless Communication to Determine Further Information to Be Exchanged or Further Services to Be Provided

1. A method for facilitating a transaction between a first wireless device and a second wireless device utilizing a server, comprising the steps of: communicating an identifier associated with said second wireless device to said first wireless device using a short range wireless connection, said first wireless device providing said identifier to said server, said server establishing location information associated with said first and said second wireless devices, determining authentication information relating to said second wireless device or an entity associated with said second wireless device, transferring said authentication information between the server and the first wireless device and said server providing authorization to said first wireless device or said second wireless device to proceed with said transaction based at least in part upon said identifier, said authentication information and the location information of said first and second wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first wireless device provides said authentication information to said server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said authentication information is a picture of an entity associated with said second wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said authentication information relating to said second wireless device is data gathered at said first wireless device and thereafter received by said server.

5. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising: said server using said identifier to determine authentication information relating to the second wireless device or an entity associated with said second wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to the step of said server establishing location information associated with said first and second wireless devices, determining if said first and second wireless devices are mobile.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said first wireless device is not mobile.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of establishing said location information is performed using a known fixed location of said first wireless device and received location information for said second wireless device.

9. The method of claim 1 further including said server receiving information from either said first wireless device or said second wireless device indicating selection of one or more goods for purchase.

10. The method of claim 9 further including said server transmitting a request to the second wireless device for confirmation that said goods or services are to be purchased.

11. The method of claim 9 further including said server receiving confirmation from said second wireless device that said goods or services are to be purchased.

12. The method of claim 9 further including initiating delivery of said purchased good or service after receiving confirmation that said goods or services are to be purchased.

13. The method of claim 1 further including crediting an award program for the purchase of said goods or services.

14. The method of claim 1 further including initiating delivery of said purchased good or service after authorization of said transaction.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said first wireless device communicates with said server over a communication channel including wired connections.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said first wireless device communicates with said server over a communication channel including wired and wireless connections.

17. The method of claim 5 additionally comprising: said server using inclusion of said identifier or an identifier derived from said identifier on a friends list of an entity to determine said authentication information relating to the second wireless device or an entity associated with said second wireless device.

18. The method of claim 5 additionally comprising: said server using a value of a rating of previous transactions with an entity associated with said identifier by at least one other entity to determine said authentication information.

19. The method of claim 17 additionally comprising: said server using a value of a rating of previous transactions with an entity associated with said identifier by at least one other entity to determine said authentication information.

20. The method of claim 5 wherein said authentication information is based at least in part upon a number of uses of said identifier in previous transactions.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said authentication information is based at least in part upon a number of uses of said identifier in previous transactions.

22. The method claim 5 wherein said authentication information is based at least in part upon said identifier not having been previously used.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein said authentication information is based at least in part upon said identifier not having been previously used.

24. A method for a server to exchange information comprising: receiving, from a first wireless device, a second wireless device identifier associated with a second wireless device, said second wireless device identifier having been sent from the second wireless device and received by the first wireless device using a short range wireless connection; determining location information associated with the first and second wireless devices; authenticating the second wireless device, said authenticating depending upon authentication information transferred between the first wireless device and the server; and providing authorization to the first wireless device or the second wireless device depending on (a) the second wireless device identifier; (b) the authentication information and (c) the location information.

25. A method for facilitating a transaction between a first wireless device and a second wireless device utilizing a server, comprising the steps of: communicating an identifier associated with said second wireless device to said first wireless device using a short range wireless connection, said first wireless device providing said identifier to said server, said server establishing location information associated with said first and said second wireless devices, and authenticating the second wireless device, said authenticating depending upon authentication information transferred between the first wireless device and the server; and said server providing authorization to said first wireless device to proceed with said transaction based at least in part upon said identifier, the location information of said first and second wireless devices, and the authentication information, said location information of the second wireless device having been established using a wide area wireless link utilizing a GPS receiver in the second wireless device.

26. A method for facilitating a multiple step electronic commerce transaction between a first wireless device and one or more of a second wireless device and a merchant device utilizing a server, comprising the steps of: receiving an identifier associated with said second wireless device or information derived from an identifier associated with said second wireless device, from said first wireless device, said identifier having been received by said first wireless device from said second wireless device using a short range wireless transmission, said server establishing location information associated with said first wireless device based at least in part upon said identifier or information derived from said identifier; and the server sending to the first wireless device, a list containing one or more merchants in proximity to the first wireless device which are enabled to receive wireless payment associated with a service facilitated by said server, said proximity being determined based upon the locations of the first wireless device and the locations of the one or more merchants; and the server receiving a message from the first wireless device indicating a merchant with which to engage in subsequent steps of a multiple step electronic commerce transaction; determining authentication information relating to a consumer associated with said first wireless device; and the server sending the authentication information to a merchant device associated with said indicated merchant comprising a picture depicting the consumer associated with the first wireless device and further associated with an account with the service facilitated by said server; said server receiving authorization information from the merchant device to proceed with said transaction based at least in part upon said authentication information and upon the proximity of said consumer associated with the first wireless device and the merchant device, wherein said authorization information comprises information indicating that a user of the merchant device has compared the picture with the consumer associated with the first wireless device and that they match; the server sending one or more messages to the first wireless device or the second wireless device confirming a completion of a purchase associated with said multiple step electronic commerce transaction.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the server performs an additional step of receiving a message from the merchant device including an itemized list of goods to be purchased or having been purchased by an entity associated with the first wireless device.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the server credits an account associated with an entity associated with the first wireless device with a reward based upon a loyalty program for said purchase associated with said multiple step electronic commerce transaction.

29. A method for facilitating a multiple step electronic commerce transaction involving a loyalty program between a first wireless device, a second wireless device, and a merchant device utilizing a server, comprising the steps of: receiving an identifier associated with said second wireless device or information derived from an identifier associated with said second wireless device, from said first wireless device, said identifier having been received by said first wireless device from said second wireless device using 802.11WiFi standards, the server sending a list of one or more merchants to the first wireless device based on said identifier or information derived from said identifier and the location and the proximity of merchants to the first wireless device, after a search of merchants performed by said server, the server receiving confirmation of a purchase by the first wireless device or an entity associated with the first wireless device from a merchant device, wherein the first wireless device or the entity associated with the first wireless device had first selected a merchant from said list of one or more merchants, wherein said merchant is associated with said merchant device and wherein said first wireless device or said entity associated with said first wireless device has shared account information and participation in a loyalty program with said merchant device or said entity associated with said merchant device, and the server sending a reward for said purchase associated with said loyalty program to the first wireless device.